Excavator-bucket-dumping mechanism.



M. G. BUNNELL.

EXCAVATOR BUCKET DUMPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1914.

1 ,278, 1 O 1 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIQE,

MORTON G. IBUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A SSIGNOR TO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATOR-BUCKET-DUMPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Original application-filed. March 1, 1913, Serial No. 751,414. Divided and this application filed June 29,

v 1914. Serial No. 847,801.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORTON G. BUNNELL, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Excavator-Bucket-Dumping Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. v

This is a division of my application No. 751,414, filed March 1, 1913, for improvement in traveling bucket excavators.

My invention relates to excavators in general, but more particularly to those for use in constructing ditches for drainage purposes, and especially those in which the excavating apparatus comprises a runway extending transversely of the ditch, together with an endless seriesof buckets traveling on said runway, from one side of the ditch to the other, whereby the dirt is taken from one sloping bank of the ditch and carried across and up the other bank and discharged at one side thereof.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide an improved and highly eflicient excavator of the foregoing general character.

Another object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby, in an excavator of this particular character, each bucket is provided with a movable wall for expelling the load, and with operating means adapted to engage a stop on the runway, when it is desired to dump the load, of such character that as soon as the load is dumped, the bucket will pass under the said stop, whereby it is possible to arrange a series of buckets of this character for a traveling motion in one direction only, as distinguished from the buckets heretofore employed for this purpose, and which do not continue moving forward after reaching the dumpingposition, but to the contrary reverse their movement and move backward in Fig. 2 is a plan of the bucket and adjacent parts of the sprocket chains in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of an excavator provided with endless series of buckets of the kind shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As thus illustrated, and referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, an excavator constructed in accordance with my invention, comprises a pair of endless sprocket chains a, which are spaced apart to accommodate the bucket B between them. As-the' said buckets are all alike, a description of one will be suilicient for all. As shown, the bucket B has a lower cutting edge or lip b'extending across the bottom of the mouth of the bucket, the general shape ofthe bucket being rectangular. The bucket is made rigid with the links 6,111 any suitthe said slide or traveler being provided withwheels 72 that travel in the said guideways. A sheave is suitably mounted at the front of the bucket, and a steel cable or other flexible connection 6 extends around the sheave and connects the movable end wall 6 with the said slide ortraveler 6 whereby backward movement of the said slide or traveler, in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, serves topull the said end wall forward, thus expelling-the load.

The heel of the bucket is provided with a couple of laterally extending cutters b which extend outside of the sprocket chains, and also outside of the runway C (see Fig. 2) in which the rollers 64 of the sprocket chains travel. Thus, in the downward movement ofthe endless series of buckets, an excavation is made which is wider than the runway. At a suitable point in thepath of travel of the buckets, as at the left'in Fig.

3, the runway is provided with a cross bar 0, '(Fig. 1') or other suitable stop, against which the upstanding portions of the slides or travelers b strike as each bucket passes below and arrives at the point of discharge. hen this happens the slide or traveler b able manner, and is provided at its rear end a 'with a movable wall 6 said wall being stands still, of course, and the result is that the movable end wall 7) is caused to travel faster than the bucket, thus expelling the load. The rear ends of the tracks or guideways 7) are provided with downwardly curved portions 71 said portions overhanging the rear end of the bucket, whereby the slide or traveler 71 may tilt backward when the rear wheels thereof are disengaged from the rear ends of the guide-ways, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus permitting the slide or traveler to pass under the cross bar 0, this action occurring at about the time that the movable end wall of the bucket reaches the mouth thereof. In this way each bucket automatically discharges its lead when it reaches the dumping position, and the movable end walls of the buckets are restored to normal position by the pressure of the dirt at the mouth of the buckets,

as each bucket again strikes the ground at the other side of the ditch. To permit the endless series of buckets thus provided to sink gradually into the ground, the runway U is supported for up and down movement on the body frame D of the excavator, in any suitable or well-known manner.

The device C is, of course, stationary, and the element 6 tilts backward while passing under the said device, when the rear wheels of said device are released from the guide, as shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby allowing the bucket to continue movement along its endless path of travel. Said element 6 slides along the guide from the front to the rear en d of the bucket, after the upstanding portion. of said element engages the device C, which latter is a stationary stop in the path of travel of said portion. During this movement of the element 6 toward the rear end of the bucket, the end wall 72 is traveling in the opposite direction, so that the load is being expelled from the other end. Of course, the backward movement of the element 79 on the bucket is merely relative, as during this time the said element is in reality standing still, inasmuch as it is in engagement with the stationary device or stop C, whereby the lat ter serves to hold said element stationary while the load is being discharged. Simultaneously, however, with the arrival of the end wall 7.) at the mouth of the bucket, the rear wheels of the element 7) are released from the rear end of the guide, in the man ner indicated, thus allowing the said element to pass under the said device and travel. outward with the bucket, the forward motion of the latter not having been checked or retarded. in. any way by the dumping operation. Of course, when the bucket again reaches the ground, the pressure of the dirt which enters the bucket serves to push the end wall 6 backward to its position at the rear end of the bucket, and this causes the element 5 to move forward and its position above the mouth of the bucket. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable construction can be employed for the end wall 6 and for maintaining the said wall in proper position while sliding back and forth within the bucket.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described.

lVhat I claim. as my invention is 1. in excavator comprising a traveling digging bucket provided with ejecting mechanism including an element movable back and forth thereon, a longitudinal guide for said element, a runway providing a path of travel below ground for said bucket, and a stationary device for engaging said element, mounted on the runway, said element being movable in one direction on said guide while the load is being discharged from the mouth of the bucketin the opposite direction, said guide having means at the rear end thereof to permit said element to pass said device after the load is dumped, said element having front and rear wheels for said guide and an upstanding portion to engage said. device, and said element having a tilting motion to pass under said device.

2. An excavator comprising a traveling digging bucket provided with ecting mechanism including an element movable back and forth thereon, a longitudinal guide for said element, a runway providing a path of travel below ground for said bucket, and a stationary device for engaging said element, mounted on the runway, said element being movable in one direction on said guide while the load is being discharged from the mouth of the bucket in the opposite direction, said guide having means at the rear end thereof to permit said element to pass said device after the load is dumped, said mechanism including an end wall which moves faster than the bucket when said element engages said device, said element having front and rear wheels for said. guide and an tip-standing portion to engage said device, and said element having a tilting motion to pass under said device.

3. An excavator comprising a traveling digging bucket provided with ejecting mechanism including an element movable back and forth thereon. a longitudinal guide for said element, a runway providing a path of travel below ground for said bucket, and a stationary device for engaging said element, mounted on the runway, said element being movable in one direction on said guide while the load is being discharged .from the mouth of the bucket in the opposite direct-ion, said guide having means at the rear end thereof to permit said element to pass said device after the load is dumped, said mechanism including a rear end wall for said bucket and a flexibl con- '1. ion between said element and end. Wall,

said element having front and rear wheels for said guide and an lip-standing portionto engage said device, and said element having a tilting motion to pass under said device.

l. An excavator comprising a traveling digging bucket provided with ejecting mechanism including an element movable back and forth thereon, a longitudinal guide for said element, a runway providing a path of travel below ground for said bucket, and a device for engaging said element, mounted on the runway, said element being movable in one direction on said guide while the load is being discharged from the mouth of the bucket in the opposite direction, said guide having means at the rear 7 end thereof to permit said element to pass said device after the load is dumped, said guide extending from front to rear along the top of said bucket, and said mechanism including a sheave on the front of the bucket.

5. An excavator comprising a traveling digging bucket provided withejecting mechanism including an element movable back and forth thereon, a longitudinal guide for said element, a runway providing a path of travel below ground for said bucket, and a device for engaging said element, mounted on the runway, said element being movable in one direction on said guide while the load is being discharged from the mouth of the bucket in the opposite direction while the bucket is moving forward, in the direction of the discharge, and means to permit said element to disengage and pass said device after the load is dumped.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, said mechanism including an end Wall which moves faster than the bucket when said element engages said device.

7. A structure as specified in claim 5, said mechanism including a rear end wall for said bucket and a flexible connection" be tween said element and end wall.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this th day of June, 1914.

MORTON G. BUNNELLL Witnesses:

RACHEL J. RICHARDSON, ARTHUR F. DURAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

